Embroidered Makeup Bag

This cosmetics bag is embellished with enchanting English tea roses. Complete with a liner, side flap, and handy mirror, the bag makes a wonderful travel companion, whether it be to faraway lands, or just a night out on the town.

Velcro closures keep the mirror flap secure, and a zipper holds eyeliner, lipstick, hand lotion, nail scissors, and more inside the bag

Supplies & Materials:

- Hot Glue Gun

- Hot glue

- Timtex or heavy interfacing
- Adhesive Velcro
- 9" zipper

- 1/2 yard moire (outer shell)
- 1/4 yard sport nylon (lining)
1 5" x 5" companion fabric
- 3" round mirror
- Fusible interfacing

The designs used in this tutorial include:

- X0966, English Tea Roses Design Pack

Small rectangle and single rose designs were used in this project.

Embroider the rectangle design on the outer shell fabric.

We chose a silk moire fabric for this, which has an interesting wave-like pattern. Hoop the fabric with cutaway stabilizer, and use a bit of spray adhesive between the stabilizer and fabric to keep them nice and tight in the hoop.

Embroidery on fabric featuring three roses in pink, blue, and purple with green swirling stems and small purple floral accents on beige background.

Next, embroider the single rose design as you did the rectangle.

The rectangle will be on one side of the bag, and the single rose on the other side, on the mirror pocket.

Close-up of a pink embroidered rose with layered petals on light beige fabric with a subtle woven texture background.

Cut the embroidered pieces from the fabric. On the backside of the embroidery, mark the center by measuring the width of the design, and dividing by two, then measure the height and divide by two. Mark the center point.

Then, measure and mark a 9 1/2" x 5 1/2" rectangle around the design. To do this, measure and mark 4 3/4" from the center on both sides.

Close-up of embroidered fabric piece with floral and leaf design in pink, green, and purple thread. A 6-inch stainless steel ruler is placed on top for scale. The fabric is white.

Then measure 2 3/4" from the center on the top and bottom.

Metal ruler measuring embroidered floral design on white fabric, featuring pink, blue, and purple flowers with green leaves and vines.

Draw the lines marking the rectangle, and cut the shape from the fabric.

A hand holds orange scissors cutting fabric with a floral embroidery pattern in blue, purple, and pink outlined in pencil on a white surface.

Repeat this for the rose piece, with slightly different measurements.

Find the center point, then measure 2 1/2" from that center on all sides to make a 5" x 5" square. Draw the lines, and cut out the shape. Set the square aside.

Square piece of white fabric with pink rose embroidery, placed on a wooden surface next to a black stainless steel ruler and orange-handled scissors.

Cut a 9 1/2" x 5 1/2" rectangle from outer shell fabric.

Also, cut two 9 1/2" x 5 1/2" rectangles from the liner fabric. For the liner, we selected a sturdy black sport nylon which will last for years, and resist stains.

Close-up of a hand holding orange scissors cutting a piece of beige fabric on a dark wood grain table surface.

Assemble the main pouch of the bag. Lay the embroidered rectangle right side up.

Rectangular cream fabric with embroidery of three flowers in pink, purple, and blue, green swirling stems, and small crosses in blue and lavender.

Place one liner piece on top of the embroidered rectangle, and pin along the top edge.

Hand holding black fabric partially lifted to reveal a white fabric piece pinned underneath on a wooden surface. No embroidery visible.

Sew a 1/4" seam along the top edge.

Close-up of a hand guiding black fabric under a sewing machine needle, stitching along a folded edge with a yellow pin visible nearby.

Align the blank outer shell and liner rectangles together, and pin along one long side. A 4 1/2" slot should be left open to allow the mirror flap to be attached. To do this, mark the center of the pinned edge. Then measure out 2 1/4" from the center on both sides.

Rectangular piece of white fabric pinned with straight pins on a wooden surface, next to a 6-inch stainless steel ruler marked in inches and centimeters.

Sew a 1/4" seam, keeping the slot open.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching beige fabric, held in place by two pins, on a dark wood surface with part of the machine and needle visible.

Fold each rectangle along the seam with the right sides out. Place the rectangles' right sides and seamed edges together. Pin into place.

Hand holding folded fabric pieces pinned together on a wooden surface, showing a glimpse of embroidery on the white inner fabric layer.

Sew a 1/4" seam along the sides and the bottom edge. Do not sew the top seamed edges.

Hand sewing a black fabric piece with multiple colored pins into a white sewing machine, held by a left hand, on a dark wooden surface.

Turn the bag right side out. Next we'll assemble the mirror flap.

Cream-colored fabric makeup bag with embroidered blue, pink, and purple flowers connected by green vines, laid on a wooden surface.

Cut a 5" x 5" square of the companion fabric.

Square fabric piece with pink and blue floral pattern on wooden surface beside metal ruler and orange-handled scissors.

Cut a 4 1/4" x 3 3/4" piece of heavy interfacing.

White square fabric piece, a metal ruler marked in inches, and orange-handled scissors arranged on a wooden surface.

Lay the square of companion fabric wrong side up. Lay the mirror one inch from an edge of the square; this will be referred to as the "bottom." Measure one inch on both sides to center the mirror in the square. Trace around the mirror.

Hand tracing around a round mirror on floral fabric with a blue pen, ruler on wooden surface, suggesting preparation for embroidery or sewing project.

Measure and mark 1/4" inside the circle. Then, cut out the inside circle.

Square piece of fabric with faint floral pattern and a circular hole cut in the center, placed on a wood-grain surface.

Notch the inside circle, making a notch about every 1/4" inch. Spray the notches with spray adhesive, then fold back long the outer line, and press into place.

Hand holding a yellow spray can spraying adhesive on a square fabric piece with a jagged circular cutout in the center, placed on a wood surface.

Cut a piece of fusible interfacing a bit larger than the square. Lay the square on top with the right side up. Use a pressing cloth and iron to fuse the interfacing with the square.

Square fabric piece with a large circular cutout in the center. Blue, pink, and white floral pattern around the circle, gray fabric behind. Wood surface background.

Trim around the outside edge and inside opening of the square.

Hand holding blue scissors cutting a circular hole from floral fabric with white, pink, and blue flowers on a wood surface.

Lay the rose square embroidery right side up. Align the companion square, right side down on top of the rose square, keeping the bottoms together. Pin into place.

Hand holding layered fabric pieces pinned together, with pink and blue floral embroidery visible on a wooden table surface.

Sew a 1/4" seam along the bottom and side edges, but do not sew the top.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a pink rose embroidery on white fabric with pins holding the fabric in place on a dark surface.

Turn the flap right side out, and insert the heavy interfacing square. Slide the square all the way to the bottom of the flap.

Hand holds rectangular fabric frame with blue and pink floral pattern and white stabilizer backing, revealing pink embroidery of a curled-up cat inside circular opening.

Lay a line of hot glue just under the edge of the opening and in the center of the circle.

Close-up of a hand holding a blue hot glue gun applying glue to the center of a square fabric piece with floral patterns on a wooden surface.

Press the mirror directly in the center of the opening. Press around the mirror, securing the edge of the fabric

Hand holding a small round mirror placed on a square fabric pouch with blue, pink, and white floral embroidery on a wooden surface.

Insert 1/4" of the top flap into the slot in the pouch. Pin in place.

Rectangular white fabric makeup bag with a flap featuring floral fabric in pink, blue, and purple tones, and a round mirror attached inside the flap.

Sew a 1/8" seam along the flap.

Close-up of hands guiding black fabric under a sewing machine needle, stitching near colorful floral embroidery on a beige fabric. Bright lighting.

Press two 1/2" strips of adhesive hook Velcro to the inside edges of the flap.

Turn the flap over to lay flat against the bag, and add 1/2" strips of loop Velcro to match the the Velcro on the flap.

Hand holding open embroidered fabric pouch with floral design, revealing blue patterned inner lining and Velcro closure on beige outer fabric.

Finally, add a zipper. Turn the bag inside out. Unzip the zipper. Lay one side of the zipper, right side down along the top edge of the bag, and secure with pins.